FOR ex-New York governor Eliot Spitzer, the price for two hours of raw, unprotected sex with a 'clean' prostitute was US$4,300 (about $6,000) - and his political career.

The irony: This dirty request to a prostitute came from a man who was once nicknamed 'Mr Clean'.

Mr Spitzer, who stepped down from his post on Wednesday following news of an FBI probe into the sex scandal, is said to have asked a high-priced call girl if he could have sex with her without protection, according to sources familiar with the investigation.

The irony doesn't end there.

Mr Spitzer, 48, who portrayed himself as an upstanding family man and father of three, chose to conduct his tawdry dalliance on the eve of Valentine's Day.

Another irony: Mr Spitzer, who made his name busting corruption on Wall Street, was found out using the same surveillance methods he employed to earn him the 'Crusader of the Year' accolade from Time magazine.

Indeed, the prostitute that led to his downfall used to belong to an escort service that Mr Spitzer himself busted.

The former state attorney-general's fall from grace began when he tried to make an appointment with a prostitute from Emperors Club VIP for the night of 13 Feb in Washington, DC.

At the time, FBI investigators already had Mr Spitzer under surveillance after spotting irregularities in his finances. The Feds had used the 'follow the money' tactic favoured by the ex-Governor during his graft-busting days.

Identified simply as 'Client 9' in court papers, Mr Spitzer was taped haggling with his hooker-booker over whether he had put enough credit with Emperors to secure the services of a prostitute named 'Kristen'.

His rendezvous destination of choice was the historic Mayflower Hotel.Kristen boarded the 5.39pm train out of Manhattan's Penn Station en route to Washington.

Strangely, Mr Spitzer did not even bother to ask the booker, identified as MsTemeka Lewis, what Kristen looked like until after she was on the train.

'An American, petite, very pretty brunette, five-feet-five inches and 105pounds,' Ms Lewis told him.

Ms Lewis had also advised MrSpitzer to give Kristen 'extra funds' after their date. This was to avoid payment issues in future.

Kristen was asked to go to room 871.

It was also later revealed that MrSpitzer had booked the room under the name of 'George Fox', who was a friend and political donor.

By 9.32pm, Kristen, who has been identified as 22-year-old New Jersey native Ashley Alexandra Dupre, arrived at Room 871 - an elegant cream-coloured suite on the hotel's VIP club floor.

She called Ms Lewis to say she had arrived, and was told to text the booker when Mr Spitzer reached the room so that she could start the clock for a four-hour session.

At 12.02am, Kristen called Ms Lewis to let her know that she had spent two hours with Mr Spitzer and that he had left.

Kristen said the appointment went well and she collected US$4,300 from Mr Spitzer in payment.

Ms Lewis said she was surprised Kristen had no problems with Mr Spitzer, because she had heard that he 'would ask you to do things that, like, you might not think were safe'.

Media reports said sources close to the investigation believe that the thing that Mr Spitzer wanted Kristen to do was let him have sex with her without a condom.

But Kristen said she handled the situation.

'I have a way of dealing with it,' she said.

The late-night romp obviously did nothing to slow Mr Spitzer down - the next morning, he woke up early enough to appear live on CNBC's 'Squawk Box' at 7am.